Cases in the Crown
Court may also be heard by Recorders sitting with a jury.
A Recorder must be a barrister or solicitor of at least ten
years’ standing.
The main distinction between Circuit
judges and Recorders is that the former are full-time
judges, and the latter are part-time, being expected to serve
for a minimum of thirty days a year. The compulsory retiring
age of a Recorder is seventy-five, and appointment may be
terminated on grounds of incapacity or misconduct.
Although the main function of Recorders is to deal with criminal
cases, they may also, where the need arises, deal with civil
cases in the county
court.
To summarise the situation in the Crown Court, a case may,
depending on its gravity, be heard either by a High
Court judge, a Circuit judge, or a Recorder, in each case
sitting with a jury.
In hearing appeals from magistrates’ courts one judge
sits, but in this event he is assisted by not fewer than two,
nor more than four, magistrates.
The Central Criminal Court is presided over by the Lord
Chancellor in theory, and the Lord Chief Justice in practice.
It is staffed by High Court Judges and the Recorder and Common
Serjeant, in each case sitting with a jury.
By a quirk of History, the Lord Mayor and Aldermen of the
City of London are also entitled to sit.
See Also:
Function
and Status of Judges
types of
Judge: Circuit Judges
types of
Judge: European Court
types
of Judge: High Court Judges
types
of Judge: Lords Justices of Appeal
types
of Judge: Lords of Appeal in Ordinary
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